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<title>The Cat’s liver or How Simmons ruined a perfect sandwich by ElodieCarterERogers</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26463448">The Cat’s liver or How Simmons ruined a perfect sandwich</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElodieCarterERogers/pseuds/ElodieCarterERogers'>ElodieCarterERogers</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Academy Era Leo Fitz and Jemma Simmons, F/M, FitzSimmons - Freeform, Pre-Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Sci-Ops Era (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 08:07:45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,657</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26463448</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElodieCarterERogers/pseuds/ElodieCarterERogers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Before they become super Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. in Coulson's team, Jemma Simmons and Leopold Fitz worked at Sci-Ops. And for their first days there, what could be better than studying the liver of a dead cat?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>fitzsimmons</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Cat’s liver or How Simmons ruined a perfect sandwich</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is one of my favourite Young FitzSimmons scene in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. TV show. Originally based on what it was said in 1x06 episode, The Cat Scene was written for fun and just because I wanted Fitz to argue with Simmons: 'YOU LEFT ITS LIVER NEXT TO MY LUNCH!"</p><p> </p><p>A word: It's possible that you find out lots of mistakes in the text. The reason is I'm not a native English speaker (I'm French) and it's the first time that I'm writing a complete text with descriptions and complexe vocabulary. I tried do to my best. Hope it's okay and you can read it.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>ONE-SHOT</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jemma opened her eyes by turning off the alarm clock and stood up with a huge smile on her face. She couldn't wait to start the day, hoping it would be going a great one.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The day before, she learned she was going to have to work on a new project, very useful to S.H.I.E.L.D. Jemma had screamed in excitement and happiness, and was already ready to get started this new project she did not even yet know what it would be. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>However, she was quickly disillusioned when she learned this new project would have to be done in partnership with another genius from the S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy: LEOPOLD FITZ.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She and him were friends. Or rather, good </span>
  <em>
    <span>colleagues</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Each of them knew where the other wanted to go, each of them finished the other’s sentences, each of them received the same praise for their exemplary and unimaginable work. Even though they had been </span>
  <em>
    <span>enemies</span>
  </em>
  <span> for a few months at the Academy, Jemma had finally succeeded in making Fitz her friend with one thing: their discussion about Dielectric Polarization had sealed their friendship and their genius brains forever.   </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Until Jemma starts dating Milton. Everyone seemed to like the boy, but certainly not Fitz. He thought he was unfriendly, boastful, a cabbage-head idiot who made terrible, not funny jokes. Fitz had been jealous of him for a long time, especially when Jemma started to spend most of her free time with him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Of course, Jemma did not understand her best friend’s reaction to Milton. To her, he was an adorable and funny boyfriend. But he was not like Fitz. Not so smart and she noticed she could not work properly with him, without pointing a lot of his work as </span>
  <em>
    <span>bad</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Yes, he was definitely not like Fitz. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Jemma maintained her romantic relationship with Milton for a few weeks, and she and Fitz started to get pissed off about themselves, working together only when they needed to. When Jemma finally broke up with Milton, Fitz had howled with joy, but, proud in his ego, he had kept his grumpy and resentful attitude towards her even after their transfer to Sci-Ops.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was three days ago. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jemma walked quickly to the Science labs building, a little nervous but really excited too. It was her second day here but walking through this wonderful place was full of emotions. Walking through the doors of Sci-Ops was similar to the first time she entered S.H.I.E.L.D. </span>
  <em>
    <span>WONDERFUL.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Jemma retrieved her badge, greeted the guard with her best smile, and stood in front of the facial recognition panel.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Say CHEESE” announced a robotic voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A beep sounded and the screen displayed her digital S.H.I.E.L.D. badge. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jemma smiled. Every time she saw it, she couldn't help but feel a burst of pride.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The automatic doors opened and she headed for the lab. When she entered, Fitz was already there. Slumped on the desk, holding his head in one hand, he was watching videos of Capuchin babies eating and running around, a happy smile on his lips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jemma couldn't help but smile. ‘He is so cute. A little baby with curly hair.’ </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello Fitz,” she greeted him politely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fitz stood up quickly and shut down the computer, then turned to her, blushing like a little boy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re already here?” he asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, you didn't hear me come in?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, no... I...  I took this side of the lab to work.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pointed to the part of the desk near the window. The exterior overlooked the backyard of the building. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jemma nodded. She knew Fitz always needed some space of his own - and a way to escape the noise, just in case.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That's fine.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fitz gave her a look she did not notice. He gazed at her, frozen, hands on his hips, setting her stuffs on the desk and wearing her lab coat before pulling her hair up into a ponytail. This movement gave him butterflies in his stomach, and he felt his throat dry up while his mouth opened and formed a little “oh”. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He loved it so much when she tied her hair, ready to pour all her biochemical genius talent throughout the room. He had found her divinely beautiful the first few seconds he had seen her for the first time. Asteroid Jemma hit Planet Fitz with a huge collision, and it did just hurt his heart. Of course, he had seen plenty of pretty girls before, but Jemma... Jemma was magnificent. A nebula in the black sky of space that no other girl could ever match. Her eyes were like two hypnotic black holes, her smile radiated like the sun, her freckles formed constellations... Yes, Jemma Simmons was the most beautiful thing the universe had ever created and send him...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But only Fitz knew that, and he would never have the courage to tell and confess it to her. So, the only thing he could get from her was to be her best friend and partner in crime only. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, what topic should we take?” Jemma asked, turning to him with a smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fitz came back to reality, shook his head, frowning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The topic. For the project? I was thinking of something like </span>
  <em>
    <span>Human Brain</span>
  </em>
  <span> or </span>
  <em>
    <span>Animal Anatomy</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, um, I don't care. As long as we work together...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fitz went to his desk, got his notebook and tools ready.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I wish I could dissect a human brain,” Jemma exclaimed with a smile. “It must be fascinating.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bloody Hell, no!” Fitz said, shocked and disgusted. “It's not fascinating at all. It's disgusting and creepy. We're going to take </span>
  <em>
    <span>Animal Anatomy</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All right...” Jemma said with a grimace. “Let’s take the monkeys.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No! Not the monkeys.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jemma rolled her eyes and sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They're the best for studying their anatomy, Fitz!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Perhaps! But they're also cute and funny and I don't want you to be a sadist with them!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It's science, Fitz! And I'm not sadist! I'm a scientist!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fitz shook his head, utterly disapproving.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There is no way we’re taking monkeys. We take butterflies.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why butterflies?” Jemma exclaimed, turning to him, shocked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why not?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I refuse to dissect a butterfly!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“See?! No butterflies, no monkeys!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jemma took a deep breath, already annoyed. She felt another argument coming and she preferred to turn to avoid it. When she looked up, she saw something black moving slowly along the window. It seemed old and in bad shape.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A cat!” she said with a smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fitz turned to her, thought for a second, and nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay for the cat,” he said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I was talking...” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stopped as she saw him put on his lab coat with a little monkey-shaped pin next to his badge. A new smile crossed her lips and she nodded, ready to start. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let's work on the cats, then.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A few hours later, Fitz lifted his head back from his screen and let out a long sigh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am so staaarving. I could eat an elephant.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Elephants cannot be eaten, Fitz.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He rolled his eyes, then, he turned to pick up his backpack.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I need more equipment," Simmons said suddenly with a pout. “I’ll go get some.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It's almost lunchtime," Fitz replied, taking a lunchbox from his bag. “You should hurry up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He took a sandwich out from the box and smelt it deeply. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Little beauty, I can't wait to eat you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Simmons turned to him with a grimace. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hope one day you never say that to a girl. It's disgusting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d tell my girl that if I want, okay? Now, let me enjoy my lunch.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jemma shook her head, took off her lab coat and walked to the door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don't put crumbs everywhere, I hate that,” she said as she left the lab.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fitz completely ignored her and immediately bit into his sandwich.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Delicious”, he grumbled, holding his hand to take a bottle of water... that he could not find. “What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He rummaged through his bag and noticed that he had forgotten to take water.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh no...”, he sighed in despair before peeking towards Simmons' desk. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was hoping to find something, but Simmons, as usual, had only her thermos of black tea, and a carrot and tomato salad. Fitz shook his head, wincing. How could she only eat vegetables? Her </span>
  <em>
    <span>gluten-free</span>
  </em>
  <span> obsession...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighed and decided to go and buy a bottle of water at the vending machine down the hall. This forced him to leave his precious sandwich, but thirst gripped him. Reluctantly, he put his sandwich on a corner of his own clean workspace, and he walked out of the lab. </span>
</p><p>
  <b>***</b>
</p><p>
  <span>Simmons rushed into the lab quickly and was super excited. She first noticed that Fitz was gone and rushed to the first desk — his best friend's side — and put the heavy bag on the table. A strange noise echoed through the lab, and Simmons couldn't help but smile. The opportunity was far too good to pass up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she opened the bag, a rotting smell of putrefaction assaulted her nose, and she winced in disgust, pulling back away a little so that she could take a normal breath.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>‘What a wonderful chance!’</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The cat she had seen earlier through the window and in bad shape had just died. If she had been a little sad that he ended his life behind two abandoned trash cans, she soon had the idea to take him back to the lab. She and Fitz were going to be able to study the anatomy of this cat, with </span>
  <em>
    <span>no </span>
  </em>
  <span>books! </span>
</p><p>
  <span>‘With a real body! What a joy!’ </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She hurried to put on gloves and grabbed the never-used-before scalpel on Fitz's desk. In a precise and clear gesture, she cut out the cat's corpse. Her fascinated face made her look like a mad scientist.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she was done, she noticed something. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, poor fellow... You ate poison. The answer of why you died so quickly...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She pouted, sad for the animal. Then, she spread the cat's skin, grabbed the first organ she could find</span>
  <em>
    <span>, the liver</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and took a closer look. She weighed it, observed the lesions, noticed other abnormalities.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I should write it all down,” she said, putting the liver down on the table next to her, completely ignoring Fitz's sandwich. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The moment he chose to come back to the lab, munching on Twiglets and playing with his bottle of water.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he saw Simmons at his desk, he smiled at her, completely smug to see her. She had pink cheeks, a huge smile on her lips and a few strands of her hair were going all over her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fitz! We're going to get the best Sci-Ops results!” she exclaimed with a big smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah? Why that?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And when he approached his desk and the dead body’s smell stung his nose, he stepped back sharply.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, for God's sake, Simmons! What’s...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly his eyes fell on the dead cat in the bag and the huge chunk of meat covered in red and black blood. His heart clenched in his chest, as his brain sounded an alarm bells in his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“WHAT IS THAT?!” he shouted; his face horrified.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It's a cat,” Simmons said, who had stopped smiling. “Deadish. And that's his liver.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“HIS LIVER?! A CAT! DEAD! ON MY CLEAN DESK!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Simmons gave him a confused look. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It's a workspace, Fitz... And it's not </span>
  <em>
    <span>your</span>
  </em>
  <span> desk, it belongs to both of us! You just chose this side!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fitz's face froze in horror and he opened his mouth, letting out a squeak.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“MY SANDWICH!” he yelled. “YOU LEFT THAT DEAD CAT'S LIVER LYING NEXT TO MY SANDWICH!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“BUT STOP YELLING LIKE THAT!” Simmons said, annoyed. “IT'S JUST A SANDWICH!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“IT'S NOT JUST A SANDWICH! IT'S MY SANDWICH! MY SANDWICH YOU CONTAMINATED WITH YOUR DISGUSTING… LIVER!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I'LL MAKE YOU ANOTHER SANDWICH! FOR EINSTEIN'S SAKE, STOP CRYING!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I </span>
  <em>
    <span>HATE </span>
  </em>
  <span>YOU! YOU'RE A REAL PSYCHOPATH!” Fitz yelled at her, pointing his finger to her. “YOU KILLED MY SANDWICH, YOU, PSYCHO KILLER!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He walked over to the window, covered his nose, and opened it wide to let in fresh air.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“IT'S SCIENCE, FITZ! I HAVE TO DISSECT TO STUDY! THAT'S THE ROLE OF A BIOLOGIST!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I DON'T WANT TO WORK WITH YOU ANYMORE,” Fitz replied with a grimace. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“SAYS THE ONE WHO EXPLICITLY ASKED FOR MY HELP AT THE ACADEMY! “</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“THE ABSOLUTE BAD IDEA EVER!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’M GONNA STRANGLE- “ </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The lab’s automatic door opened on an old man with a moustache. Lab Manager: Stanley Marvin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the hell are those screams? We can hear you across the hall... What’s that smell?” he asked covering his nose with a disgust grimace. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Simmons and Fitz turned to him, silent and ashamed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But what is that?!” he asked, pointing to the dead cat on the table. “Explain, both of you!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jemma, who has never got trouble from any superiors or teachers in her entire life, started to apologies, tears in her eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fitz, who had been used to hear men yelling at him, stepped forward and stood in front of Simmons, as a shield to her against the furious howls of their superior.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We just came back from lunch with Simmons,” Fitz explained, tensed. “And we found out about it on the table.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You mean it wasn't you?” Marvin asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Simmons was about to burst into tears, ready to reveal everything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course not!” Fitz retorted, faking to be outraged. “I mean, who do you think we are, Sir? A dead cat here? In our lab? On our </span>
  <em>
    <span>immaculate</span>
  </em>
  <span> table and </span>
  <em>
    <span>cleaned</span>
  </em>
  <span> like </span>
  <em>
    <span>never</span>
  </em>
  <span> before? We're scientists, not savages!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, where did that come from?” Marvin asked, not amused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No idea, Sir,” Fitz lied, shaking his shoulders. “If you want my opinion, you should check out the Operations gang. Some of them still cannot accept two geniuses telling them what to do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their Superior observed them for a long time before heaving a sigh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Clean it up. Immediately. And I don't want to see anything like that in my labs anymore, is that clear?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Never again, Sir,” Fitz nodded, before glancing at Simmons.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was looking at the floor, silent, but ready to throw all her tears out. It was a miracle that Marvin had not yet forced her to reveal everything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s unbelievable...” he muttered before leaving the lab. “I’d see everything over here!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fitz turned to Jemma, who turned her back to him and walked to the cupboard, to find something to clean the mess. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fitz heard her sniffle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Simmons, it's okay, he's gone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It's my fault,” she sobbed, grabbing something to clean. “If I hadn't been so stupid and not brought that cat...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” he said as he approached her. “You wanted to do an experiment. It doesn't matter.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We could have been fired... If you hadn't lied... If you hadn't protected me...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fitz grimaced and put his hands on his hips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought they'd put me with another partner if you were fired. And I don't want to work with anyone else. You are the only one who understands me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Simmons glanced at him, her eyes filled with tears and her lips began to shake. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, Fitz...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on," Fitz said with a little smile, putting a comfort hand on her shoulder. “We're going to clean this up and then you're going to make me a sandwich. You owe me that.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jemma let out a choked laugh and nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The best sandwich ever”, she says. “Prosciutto and mozzarella with a hint of pesto and aioli.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, can't wait to taste it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jemma smiled at him. Fitz glanced at her. Yes, this accident would remain in their memories. But for nothing in the world, Fitz would want to be separated from Jemma. Professionally and personally. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The story of the dead cat had once again strengthened their ties. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>FitzSimmons' adventures were just beginning.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>THE END</strong>
</p>
  </div></div>
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